By John Lindell
Nicknamed "The Land of Enchantment," New
Mexico is the fifth largest state in the U.S. with a total area of 121,665 square miles. New Mexico joined the Union on January 6, 1912, as the 47th state. Bordered by Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Arizona, Utah and Mexico, the state has a population of 1.98 million as of 2008.
Climate and Geography
New Mexico receives an average of just 15 inches of rainfall each year. The landscape consists mostly of desert and mountains, with the southern portion of the Rocky Mountains running through the state.
Capulin Volcano National Monument
The Capulin Volcano National Monument is located near the town of Raton and is a designated U.S. National Monument. It is an 8,000 foot tall extinct cylindrical cone volcano with multiple hiking trails, allowing visitors to walk up and look right over the volcano's rim.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
The Carlsbad Caverns National Park in extreme southeastern New Mexico features a series of caves, with one as big as eight football fields. There are guided tours of these amazing caverns, which contain wondrous rock and mineral formations.
White Sands National Monument
275 miles of sand dunes comprised mainly of gypsum make up the White Sands National Monument near the city of Alamagordo. The park was established in 1933 and lies totally inside the White Sands Missile range, where the first atomic bomb was tested.
National Forests
New Mexico has designated millions of acres of land as protected National Forest areas. One such region is the Gila Wilderness which is home to animals such as black bears, mule deer, cougars, bobcats and pronghorn antelopes.
Resources
About the Author:
John Lindell has written articles for "The Greyhound Review" and various other online publications. A Connecticut native, his work specializes in sports, fishing and nature. Lindell worked in greyhound racing for 25 years.
